Car-coupling



- .(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. S. LEHIVIAN 8u' C. K. HERR.

GAR GUUPLING. No. 406,103. Patented July 2, 1889.

Y 2 Sheets-#Sheet 2. S. S. LEHMAN 8u G. K. HERR. GAR GOUPLING.

{No Model.)

UNITED 'STATES 'PATENTV OFFICE.

SIMoN s. LEHMAN, or MAETIcvILLE, AND CHRISTIAN K. TIERE, or WEST LAMPETEE, PENNSYLVANIA.

cAR-coUPL|Ne.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 406,103, dated July 2, 1889.

Application filed February 6, 1889- SerialNo. 298,922. (No model.) l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SIMON S. LEHMAN, of Marticville, and CHRISTIAN K. HERR, of West Lampeter township, both places in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States, have invented certain Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in car-couplings, and is an improvement on a coupling for which Letters Patent No. 394,584 were issued to us by the United States December 18, 1888.

This invention consists in the combination, with an automatically-movable sliding block located in the draw-head, as described in the said patent, of aroller p'ivotcd in the bottom of the draw-head and upon which the sliding` block rests when the coupling is linked with another, the link and coupling-pin, a yoke for raising the pin when the coupling is to be engaged with the link of another draw-head, and a lever for operating the yoke.

This invention consists, further, in the combination, with the said lever and a pin located behind the sliding block and which holds the link in the draw-head, of a movable plate or bearing, against which the end of the link rests, so connected with the-lever as to be moved by the same. f

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side lView of one of our couplers, the yoke being raised so as to lift the coupling-pin into position to be engaged with the link of another coupling. Fig. 2 is a View similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but with the yoke down and the coupling-pin and sliding block in position to permit the draw-head to be coupled with another. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of a draw-head having the coupling-pin engaged with the link of another draw-head. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal horizontal section of a draw-head with the parts in position as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of the rear end of a drawhead, showing the opening for the king-bolt. Fig. 6 is a top view of the draw-head, and Fig. 7 a rear end elevation of the same. Fig. 8 is a front end elevation of our coupling, and Fig. 9 a

View of a hookshaped link having an eye in each end.

A represents the draw-head, having a slot 1 in the top plate d to receive the upper guiding-flange 2 of the sliding block B, and a slot 55 3 in the bottom plate a2, in the sides of which is journaled the roller C. The rear under edge of the block B is curved or sloped upward and backward from the front and rests upon the roller C, so that it will, unless op. posed, slide forward and project its tongue c under the coupling-pin opening 4 in the top plate. In our previous patent the sliding block B rests upon a rigid base, on which its movement is liable to be impeded by reason of the accumulation of dirt, frost, or ice.

In the front of the draw-head there is a vertically-movable yoke D,located above the bull-nose, upon which the head of the coupling-pin E rests. It is supported by vertically-movable rods e, connected below the bull-nose by a bar F, to which the power to raise the yoke and its supports is applied. The upward movement of the yoke carries with it the coupling-pin, and such movement is of vsuch extent as to clear the pin from the opening in the frontn of the draw-head. This Vremovalof the coupling-pin from that opening permits the sliding block B to move for- Ward, its tongue c projecting under the coupling-pin opening in the top plate a and there supporting it until the block is pushed back.

G is a rockshaft passing transversely under the car and beneath the draw-head, supported by hangers 7. Upon oneor both sides of the car there is a handle or lever-arm g, attached to the shaft G, by which it is operated, and this arm is thrown into engagement with a rack Qn the side of the car, so as to hold it in any position desirable, for the purpose to be eX- plained.

A pin H, set in the draw-head back of the sliding block, holds the coupling-link I in place. The link normally bears on the pin H when there is any strain put upon it; but when forced farther backinto the draw-head it strikes against the plate K, set up inthe draw-head and movable back and forth longitudinally therein. This plate is a partition covering the entire opening of the draw-head, leo

and is serrated transversely to afford a rest' for the end of the link at different elevations, as shown at G.

A rod L passes through the plate K from one side of the draw-head to the other, the ends of which are received in slots m of the connecting-plates M. The plates M are pivotally secured to the ends of arms N, rigidly attached to the rock-shaft G. By means of the rock-shaft, the handles, the arms N, and' the plates M, the plate K is moved back and forth, permit-ting, when desirable, the link to be pushed back entirely into the draw-head before the cars are coupled, to prevent itfrom being mashed or brought into contact with the face of an approachingbull-nose. To the center of the rock-shaft there is a lever-arm O, rigidly attached in such position as to be brought into contact with the bar F and raise the yoke and coupling-pin when the rockshaft is turned to move the bearing-plate K backward in the draw-head.

In order that it may not be necessary to increase the length of the draw-head, and that at the same time the yoke may be raised sufficiently to clear the coupling-link from the draw-head, the ends of the red L rest loosely in slots m in the plates M in such position that when the rock-shaft is turned to raise the yoke and push the bearing-plate K back the outer ends of those slots engage the ends of rods L at such time that the upward movement of the yoke and the backward movement of the plate K may be completed simultaneously. Of course t-he length of the slots m must be varied to conform with the proportions of the other parts of the draw-head. Should it be necessary or advisable after the coupling-pin has been raised so as to be supported by the sliding block and the yoke dropped to its normal position to push the link back into the draw-head, as when our draw-head is to be coupled with any ordinary draw-head or one having a link or hook unremovably connected with it, the bearingplate K can be moved back sufficiently far for the purpose without disturbing the coupn ling-pin, for after that pin is first raised and the sliding block B passes beneath it, it can only drop into its normal position by pushing that block back. When the backward movement of the plate K is completed, the lever-arms g are thrown into engagement with racks on the side of the car.

If it is desirable that in the movement of the plate K for the purpose just described the head of the coupling-pin should not be engaged by the yoke, the parts of the drawhead may be so proportioned that the ext-ent of the backward movement of that plate lmay be somewhat greater when the yoke is thrown up to raise the coupling-pin than is necessary.

The rod L may be taken out upon the removal of the pins Z, (shown in Figs. 4,) which hold the plates M in place. There may also be vertical recesses made in the face'of the head is also provided with openings R in the rear end, as shown in Figs. 5, G, and 7, by which a headed king-bolt may be connected therewith or an ordinary kin g-bolt inserted.

To hold the rod L in place and keep the bearing-plate K from being forced back accidentally by the linkin coupling, latches S are pivoted to the outer faces of the sides l?, the

front ends of which are constructed to catch over the rod L when it is in its most forward position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The front end of each of these latches is provided with a pin t, which projects outward over the top of the plate M ,adjacent to it. The upper surfaces of the plates M are camshaped, so that as those `plates move backward they act upon the pins t to raise the lat-ches and disengage them from the rod L before the ends of the slots in the plates M engage that rod, as shown in Figs. l and 6.

It will be seen that in our new coupling, as shown and described in this specification, a bearing is provided for the sliding block, which makes both its forward and backward movement more easy and sure than it is in other draw-heads working upon the same principle, and that by a single mechanism the force is applied whereby the coupling-pin is raised and a plate in the draw-head moved backward to permit the whole coupling-link to be received in the draw-head.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with the draw-head, of the sliding block, a rollerpivoted in the bottom of the draw-head and upon which the sliding block rests, the coupling link and pin, a yoke for raising the pin when the coupling is to be engaged, and a lever for operating the yoke, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a draw-head, the combination, with the coupling-pin and a yoke for raising the same, of a movable plate which forms a bearing for the rear end of the coupling-link and a device whereby the yoke may be raised and the said plate moved backward or forward, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a draw-head, the combination, with the coupling-pin, the yoke for raising the same, and a movable bearing-plate for the rear end of the link, of the rock-shaft, mechanism for operating the same, and connections bctween the rock-shaft and the yoke and bearing-plate, whereby the shaft may IIC) for the purpose specified.

4. In a draw-head, the combination, with the yoke for raising the coupling-pin and the movable bearing-plate for the inner end of the coupling-link, of the rock-shaft, a lever for engaging With and raising the yoke, plates M, connected with the rock-shaft and provided With longitudinal slots, and projections from the sides of the said bearing-plate which engage the longitudinal slots in the plates M, all arranged and constructed substantially as and for the purpose'speciiied.

5. Ina draw-head, the combination, Wit-h the movable plate placed Jtherein as a bearing for the inner end of the coupling-link and the rock-shaft, of slotted plates M, pivotally connected with the rock-shaft, and projec- 2o tions from the sides lof the said bearing-plate which engage the longitudinal slots in the plates M, sulistantiallyr as and for the purpose specified. p

6. In a draw-head, the combination, with the rock-shaft and the bearing-plate for the rear end of the coupling-link, of slotted plates M, connected with the rock-shaft, projections from the sides of the bearing-plate which engage the slots in the plates M, and latches adapted to engage the projectionsl from the sides of the bearing-plate when occupying its most forward position, the upper edges of the plates M being constructed to raise the latches as the said plates are moved backward, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

SIMON S. LEHMAN. CHRISTIAN K. HERR. Witnesses:

J AcoB HALBACH, WM..R. GERHART. 

